FACILITATING RESOLUTION OF DISTRESSED COMPANIES

Measures for resolution of distressed companies

The existing provisions of section 79 are not applicable to a company where any change in shareholding takes place in a previous year pursuant to a resolution plan approved under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) subject to the condition that jurisdictional Principal Commissioner or Commissioner is provided a reasonable opportunity of being heard. Thus, loss in such cases can be carried forward and set off even if there is change in voting power or shareholding. This benefit is proposed to be extended to certain companies. Thus it has been provided in newly substituted section 79 that the provision of this section shall not apply to those companies, and their subsidiary and the subsidiary of such subsidiary, where-

(i) the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on a petition moved by the Central Government under section 241 of the Companies Act, 2013 has suspended the Board of Directors of such company and has appointed new directors, who are nominated by the Central Government, under section 242 of the Companies Act, 2013: and

(ii) a change in shareholding of such company, and its subsidiaries and the subsidiary of such subsidiary, has taken place in a previous year pursuant to a resolution plan approved by NCLT under section 242 of the Companies Act, 2013, after affording a reasonable opportunity of being heard to the jurisdictional Principal Commissioner or Commissioner.

Further, it is also proposed that under section 115JB of the Act for calculating book profit, the aggregate amount of unabsorbed depreciation and loss (excluding depreciation) brought forward shall also be allowed to be reduced in cases of the above mentioned companies.

This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2020 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2020-21 and subsequent assessment years.

 [Clauses 22 & 34]

 

 

 

Carry-forward of tax losses extended to companies under tribunal approved resolution plans after offering tax authorities a hearing. Carry-forward and set-off restrictions under section 79 are removed for companies (and their subsidiaries) whose boards were suspended and replaced and whose shareholding changed pursuant to a tribunal approved resolution plan, provided the jurisdictional tax officer was given a reasonable opportunity to be heard. Corresponding amendment to the computation of book profit for minimum alternate tax permits reduction by aggregate unabsorbed depreciation and brought forward loss (excluding depreciation) for such companies.